Ceiling washing implement



Jan. 16, 1940. A. GRxGAs CEILING WASHING IMPLEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Aug. 2, 1958 Jan. 16, 1940. A. GRIGAS CEILING WASHING IMPLEMENTFiled Aug. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16,1940

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

'I'he principal objects of this invention are to provide a deviceadapted to be supported by a handle from below to be moved along incontact with the ceiling for washing it; to provide a de- 6 vice of thiskind comprising a box for receiving particles that have to be removed byit from the ceiling, operated by a handle on a pivot on said box, saidhandle having means for turning a roll, which projects up from itagainst the ceiling; to

provide for intermittently turning either one or two cylindrical brushesin contact with the ceiling while the implement is progressing along theceiling; to provide means for preventing any liquid coming down from theceiling to be dropped on the floor under ordinary circumstances; toprovide means whereby the thin edges of the box cannot engage or scratchthe ceiling, and to provide a form of device in which there is avertically adjustable plate on which a sponge or the like is held, withmeans passing through the sponge for securing it in position in the box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l isa side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with parts brokenaway to show interior construction and showing it in use;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modied form of the implement having the sameprinciples, with parts broken away to show interior construction;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a third form of the invention with parts brokenaway to show interior construction, and

Fig. 7 is a plan of the same with part of the sponge broken away.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, this implement is designed to be held upagainst the ceiling by means of a handle IIJ in the form of a rod setinto a conical socket II. The socket is pivoted to a box I2 by a rod I3extending centrally through the box from end to end. This is a box ofany desired shape but shown substantially square. It is open at the topand is provided with a textile lining I1 held by bars I8 fixed inside. A

pair of rolls I4, formed preferably of wool yarn,

or the like, are mounted on wire shafts I5 which.

have loose bearings in holes in the frame. Two

of these rolls are provided parallel with each other and, of course, onopposite sides of the rod I3.

At one end of the box there is a ratchet wheel I6 fixed on each shaft I5. On the socket II is pivoted a double ended pawl I9 engaging the tworatchets. It will be noticed that the teeth of these two ratchets pointin opposite directions. 5 One is left handed and the other right handed.

In operation, the handle is swung about its pivot while moving the boxalong to wash the ceiling. While the handle is moving in one direction,the pawl I9 engages the teeth in one ratchet 10 wheel I6 and turns thecorresponding brush I4 in one direction. It merely passes over the teethon the other ratchet wheel and has no eifect on that brush, which doesnot rotate at that instant. Immediately on the reversal of the mo- 15tion of the handle the second brush will be turned as long as the handleis moving in that direction and the pawl will pass idly over the firstratchet wheel. The 'result of this is, not on1yto move the brush alongthe ceiling, but to rotate the 20 brushes alternately and intermittentlywhile it is moving, thereby removing dust, grime, and foreign particlesthat might lodge there. At the same time the second brush is moving overthe ceiling in stationary position, as will be seen, and 25 actuallyrubbing along the ceiling for the same purpose. This alternate actiontakes place as long as the brush is being used. Ordinary soapy water islocated in the box I2 so that the two brushes absorb enough of it intheir rolling action to perform an eiiicient washing operation.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a box 20 is provided with a centralshaft 2l extending from end to end on which the handle 22 swings whilemoving the device along. On the central shaft 86 2I, which has a ratchetwheel 23 operated by a pawl 24, is pivoted the handle 22. As shown, apawl 25 is pivoted on the `box 20 to hold the ratchet wheel againstturning in the opposite direction. The result of this construction is to40 provide an intermittent rotation of the brush 26 which is xed on-theshaft 2|. At the top of the box 20 are a pair of longitudinal andmarginal rubber rolls 21 to prevent the upper edges of the box fromdigging into the ceiling and marking 45 or scratching it. The bottom ofthis box is shown elevated at the central part because the box swingsmore or less as it is being moved along the ceiling, with the handleoscillated more or less by the operator. In this case the action is 50is not exactly the same as in the former case but the alternate rotationis obtained and the brush is moved along the ceiling while beingprevented from rotating. The general objects are substantially the sameas those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. 55

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and '7 a vertical handle 30 is shown whichis xedly connected with a box 3l which, in this case, can beconveniently round. Into the end of the handle is fixed a screw 32inside the box and held by a check nut 33. This screw projects directlyupwardly in the center of the box 3|. On this screw is mounted screwthreadedly a plate 34 having a nut 35 which cooperates with the screw.This is for the purpose of raising and lowering the plate 34 to adjustit to whatever brush happens to be in use. This plate is formed of sheetmetal with teeth 36 punched out to permit them to project upwardly.

In the use of the device, the plate is adjusted to the desired heightand a sponge 31 is pressed down on the plate and held very Well thereonby the projection into it of the teeth 36. Of course, if the sponge wereallowed to turn in this device it would vary its elevation therein,which is not desired. Through the opposite sides 0f the box are formedholes and through these holes a diametrical pin 38 is passed, extendingthrough the sponge so as to hold the sponge against turning and droppingout of the device. Of course, this device is intended for the receptionof water in the bottom so that the water will come above the plate whereit will be readily taken up and absorbed by the spongefor the same useas the other forms of the invention shown herein. In this case there isno rotation of the sponge but the work has to be done by the operator bymanipulation of the handle. There is no special means for holding thepin in position as it passes through the sponge which furnishes enoughresistance against its accidental removal.

The invention is presented, in the three forms shown, to constitute anadvantage over the present ceiling brush used. The rst two forms permitof the rotation of the soft brushes, made of wool yarn, rags, or anyother absorbent material, by moving along the surface of the ceiling.The brushes in the first form alternately press against the ceiling andturn. Two forms of cleaning are employed, brushing by an otherwisestationary surface and the rotating, but not rolling, of a correspondingsurface along the ceiling. Each of these is performed for a short timeand' alternately. There is very little danger of the waterbeing spilledover the top. The water can be emptied and the container can be filledvery easily.

In the second form shown the rubber rollers prevent contact of the edgesof the box against the ceiling, which is not employed in the form shownin Figs. l, 2 and 3, because two brushes are employed. The alternaterotationand stopping of the brushes is performed by the handle andwithout displacing the cleaning device on the ceiling. Ordinarily, it ismoved the whole length or width or the ceiling by constant vibration ofthe handle.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the expense is reduced to practicallya minimum and the adjustment of the sponge is secured with. very littletrouble and it is held securely in place by an inexpensive construction.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a ceiling cleaning device, the combination of a horizontal boxopen at the top, a pair of parallel shafts carried by said box, a rollerfixed to each shaft and projecting equally above the box so as to beadapted to come into Contact With the ceiling and prevent the box fromengaging the ceiling under all conditions, a pair of ratchets havingtheir teeth extending in opposite directions, one fixed on each shaft, adownwardly extending central handle pivoted to the box for supportingit, a double pawl piv Oted on the handle and having an operating toothprojecting in each direction into contact with the separate ratchetwheels, whereby, when the handle is swung back and forth along its pivotand advanced along the ceiling, iirst in one direction and then theother, rst one brush and then the other will be rotated and will beprevented from rotation at intermittent times.

2. A device for cleaning ceilings comprising a horizontal box, a shafthaving loose bearings in the ends of the box and extending through it, atextile roller mounted 'on said shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by theshaft, a central handle pivoted to the box and extending downwardly forsupporting it, said handle being movable back and forth about its pivotwhile the box is being advanced ralong the ceiling and supported by thehand, and a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel and turning it by themotion of the handle in one direction and moving back idly in the otherdirection, whereby the rotary brush will rotate in contact with theceiling intermittently and between rotations will be moved along theceiling without rotation.

3. In a ceiling cleaning device, the combination of a horizontal boxopen at the top, a central roller projecting above the box so as to beadapted to come into contact with the ceiling, a pair of softlongitudinal rolls projecting above the side edges of the box to preventthe box f from engaging the ceiling under all conditions, a ratchetfixed on the shaft of the roller, a downwardly extending handle pivotedto the box at its center to support the box in equilibrium, a

pawl pivoted on the handle and having an operl' ating tooth projectinginto contact with said ratchet wheel, whereby, when the handle is swungback and forth along its pivot and advanced along the ceiling, iirst inone direction and then the other, the brush will be rotated and will beprevented from rotation at intermittent times,

ANTHONY GRIGAS.

